Automobile bumper



Jan. 9, 1923.

l. A. SIBLEY, JR. AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

FILED AUG-17,1921.

SZELE'Y} an, on CHICAGO, ILLINOI5.

EUIliGIrlCGBILE BUMPER.

App) icatioii 1/" ho m in ey warmer n V know if. .ut lnvino A. nan'r El .12, i in of the United a resiof C o ego, in the county of Cools and linois have invented certain new ll ling n'oveinents in iiiutomobile of which the following, is a speci- "ivention. relates to improvements 3c :nobile bumpers and more particuto u bumper of the resilient bur type, the r clniraeterized by the provislon in reused impact area thruout the i5 this invention is is so i: oi main bar, as 5 such as bolting or, thumping, 1 YW'l 1 inasmuch as o more tion can he made to permit a i. y degree-oi eodwise shift- A or ween the overlapping ends rul bars, as the bars are distortml the ioroo of impact.

H therefore, of the invention, is to imworporeize in a bumper structiire on 22 iii-:1og oment or connection of the erts ohi li will provide that degree of flexibility which will enable the some to withstand remuted blows WllLllUilij W 'I kening or (lamag io the pm and par cnlorl'y those which tale new l bars to; than.

zn'lvuntop'cs of the 'COHS YIHZtlO be more clari y d-r-seari a, which inc ii: which filed August 1'?,.1i321.

Serial 1%. 492,97fi.

Fig l is a View in front elevation of the bumper,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the bumper showing the effect of impacts upon the bumper,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed View in front elevation of sections of the bars at the point of connection, and ,c

Fi 4 is a sectional View corresponding to Figure 3, as taken on line 4:42 of Figure 8.

.The general structure of the bumper has been suggested; namel that of a single resilient bar 1 bent to form a straight portion 2, forming the front impact section thereof, end il -shaped end sections to gether with irdly extending arms 4-+l adapted for attachment to the frame of the automobile. Seoured to the straightportion 2 of the bar 1 are the auxiliary bars 5 and 6, the same being shapedor bent transversely to provide portions intermediate their ends which are offset from the bar 1 when the ends 5" and 6 respectively are applied 'l'latwise said bar 1. The auxiliary bars are offset in opposite directions 50 that the bar 5 is above the plane of the bar 1, and the bar 6 below the plane thereof. Furthermore, the lower auxiliary bar 6 is slightly longer than the companion bar 5, and bears against the bar 1, the other bar 5 in turn bearing fintwise against the ends thereof, its extremities terminating short of the ends of suidv bar 6..

The means of connection between the bars are bolts 7 which pass thru the overlapping and contacting portions of the bars. in the following manner: Formed in the lower bar 1 at the points of connection are longitudinally elongated slots 8 so positioned that the bolt 7 engages midway the ends thereof. when the parts are in normal position. lVitliin the end portions 5 and (5 respectively of: the auxiliarybers 5 and 6 are formed bolt holes 9 and 10 registering with each other and with the outer end portion of the slot b when the bars are in normal position.

Altho the holes 9 and 10 of the bars 5 and 6 may be onlinnry bolt holes, the hole $9 in the intermediate bar 6 may also be elonnoted, but somewhat shorter in length than, the slot 8 of the main bar as shown in Fig ure 4.

The bolt is inserted thru the registering holes and slots from the front side of the bumper. and secured in place by means of a nut 11 and a Washer 12 bearing against the rear face of the main bar 1 in the usual manner.

In Figure 2 has been illustrated a some- -what exaggerated representation of the distortion which takes place in the bars under the force of an impact delivercdat the central point of the bumper. @leirly, the main bar is distorted the greater amount, and the auxiliary bars in proportion to their-transverse distance from the main bar. Thus the tendency under, impact is to decrease the dis-v tance between the bolts 7-7. the result being that the bars slide relatively to each other. and the bolts 7 are displaced relative to all bars except the outermost one 5, which I undergoes the least distortion. The result is a movement of the bolt u'ithimtheslots 8-8 of the main bar toward the outer ends thereof. and a corresponding less movement within the elongated hole 10 of the intermediate bar 6. Thus while the barsare firmly secured together in normal position of the bumper it is manifest thatamder impact the' ends of the bars are suflic iently flexible to .ati'ord the necessary degree of relative displacement under impact. Without this provision the bolts would soon be sheared "oil' and the auxiliary bars become disconincreasin the life and efficiency oft-he structure.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim as'new and novel: 1. An automobile bumper comprising a resilient bar extending throughout the impact portion thereof. auxiliary bars secured at their ends to said resilient bar. and connecting members extending through registering slots formed in said bars and'increasing in length from the outer to the innermost bar. 2. An automobile bumper comprising a main resilient bar extending the length of the impact portion thereof, auxiliary bars applied in flatwise contact to said main bar. and bolts extending through the ends of said auxiliary bars, a nd said nminlrar. said slots being increased in length from the .outer to the innermost bar.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe day of August, A. D., rav ne A. sIBLEY, JR. 

